Nearly 11 thousand Iranian tourists who want to spend their Nevruz holiday in Turkey have started to come to Van by entering through Kapıköy Customs Gate in the last 4 days.
Iranian tourists also contribute greatly to the Van economy every year. Families and groups of friends who go shopping during the day have fun at the entertainment centers in the evening.
Fevzi Çeliktaş, Vice Chairman of the Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that they canceled the Van Shopping Fest event, which they organize every year, due to the February 6 earthquake, in which thousands of people lost their lives.
Çeliktaş said that this year, approximately 4 Iranian tourists enter the country every day.
He emphasized the importance of pleasing the tourists, since the Iranians, who evaluate their national holidays every year, do not come to Turkey, as the Van economy would suffer greatly.
He added that Iranian tourists coming to Van also visited other provinces. Thus, they contribute to the country's economy in general.
Yunus Yüksel, President of Van Hoteliers and Tourism Association, said that Iranian tourists could not come to Turkey during the epidemic and due to the recent events in Iran, and that the tradesmen had financial difficulties during this period.
Iran is our biggest tourist source. The internet shortage and other events in Iran have also put the shopkeepers in Van into trouble.